More Quilts...

from the 2012 Quilters Unlimited Show-

 Organic Log Cabin #3 by Jenny Emery

 Organic Log Cabin #4 by Jenny Emery

Jenny had a quilt at the two AQS shows this year. She's a very talented hand quilter. Love those spirals!

made by Jean Whittig

Lately, I've been feeling a bit like the woman with the apple bottom. I finally got back in the pool today and swam some laps. It's been a few months since I last swam and it felt good.

 Made by Carla Schardt.

What a hoot...

Machine pieced by Glennda Shriver and machine quilted by Judy Hendrickson. Pattern by Susan H. Garman. There are 11,520 pieces in the body of the quilt! The 9-patches are 1 1/2 inches.

I'm still machine quilting by 30's hexagon quilt. I finished one more flower for my new hexagon project-

I also lined the drawers to my refinished card catalog with wool I picked up at the quilt show-

The wool is just what the drawers needed.

Flag Day in the USA

My daughter took us to Artomatic last night. It is billed as D.C.'s biggest creative event. "1,300 artists and performers take over an 11-story building and turn it into D.C.'s biggest creative event". Well, actually it was across the Potomac River in Crystal City Virginia, but close enough. I wasn't crazy about a lot of the art displayed. I was actually feeling downright old and out of it. This piece, however, really caught my eye. It is by Jonathan Woods and we spent quite a while looking at all the labels he used to make this image of the flag of the United States. Most, if not all, of the labels were from aluminum cans.

 Cool how he got the ripple effect by using darker reds and lights.

Some labels were already divided into red and white like the "Old Milwaukee" label above and the "Budweiser" label below.

The aluminum can tops (and it looks like one bottom there in the top right of the photo) represent the stars.

 This one is made from credit cards. Click on it to enlarge. Then hit escape to come back.

I wonder where he collects his materials and how long it takes to get enough of what he needs.

I like this.

A Red and White Challenge

The quilt show committee had our wrap up meeting last night. Lots of talk about what went well and want didn't. We also received our exchange blocks and a challenge - have a finished quilt by the end of February 2013 for exhibit in our 2013 show in June. Oh, boy! I don't like working under a deadline. I like making my own deadlines that are purposely loose! I have to confirm this, but I'm pretty sure they want the completed quilts no bigger than 40" x 40". The blocks will be 6" when finished. I'm thinking of just adding small half square triangles, flying geese and 4 patches for sashing. Any suggestions? I think maybe someone dropped out because I received two of my basket blocks back. I know a lot of the gals have purchased more of the red Jinny Beyer palette fabric so I think I'm going to just use what I have left over and add other reds. We'll see - I don't have an abundance of reds in my stash. I also want to add a dash of gold here and there so the gold in the cardinal's beak and the chrysanthemum's center don't seem so lonely.

Looks more like red and yellow. Is it the lighting in my sewing room or what? We gave my daughter a new camera for her graduation so she gave me her old one. It's a DSLR and I'm planning to take an online class to learn how to use it. I read good reviews about Shoot FLY Shoot. Do you know of any good online photography classes or resources?

Here's what's in my machine-

I firmly believe in having the right tools for the job. If my stitches look good, it's because of the Bernina Stitch Regulator.

This has been a very long term project. I know I started it in the 90's. It very well could be 15 years old. It's good to see the finish in sight.

My youngest son graduates from high school this Friday so my daughter is up from Georgia for the week. I put her and her art degree to work-

She's doing an internship at a graphic design firm in Athens this summer. Then she and some high school friends plan to go to New Zealand for a few months with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). Ah, to be young again!

A Quilt Show

The 39th Annual Quilters Unlimited Quilt Show for 2012 was this past weekend. They never disappoint. I took lots of photos so I'm going to split it up into more than one post. Sorry for the poor photo quality. I took some with and some without flash and I didn't get a good photo of some beautiful quilts despite all the photos I took. Here are some of my favorites-

appliqued by Nancy Karpowicz, machine quilted by Kathy Gray, pattern by Corliss Searcey

 Cheryl Kotecki and Dorry Emmer and other round robin members

 made by Diane Kirkhart, she's an award winning hand quilter, pattern by Carol Sherer

 members of the Fairfax chapter

Lisa Ellis taught her techniques and in return she asks that participants donate at least one quilt to AAQI

 Lisa Ellis

Trudi Sommerfield

Debbie Taylor

This was made for a challenge - incorporating a vintage block into a new quilt.

 vintage block

new blocks are batik!

From the same challenge-

hand pieced and hand quilted by Lura Alsalam

 Always love the dawgs-

 made by Barbara Pinocci, based on a pattern by Darcy Ashton

pieced by Betty Bottjer, quilted by Marlyn Leebove, pattern by D. Smith and S. Maxwell

pieced by Lynn Munch, machine quilted by Lori Kepley

Julia Renken

I love the simplicity of this quilt. In her statement Julia noted that when her husband saw this quilt he said "Now that is what I call a quilt!"

pieced by Glenda Shriver - all 11,520 pieces! 9-patches are 1 1/2" finished!

machine quilted by Judy Hendrickson

pattern by Susan H. Garman

 Gigi Corbin already finished her Building Houses from Scrap challenge quilt

made by Joan Peake, pattern by Lori Smith

I've been piecing the back to my 30's hexagon quilt. I've known for a while how I want to machine quilt it so I just need to baste it and get it in the machine. I hope it turns out the way I plan.

My DH and I hit a couple yard and estate sales this past Saturday morning. Here are some of my new treasures. An old wooden ironing board to put my "stuff" on. I saw one at the quilt show going for 8 times as much as I paid and that is what the tag said - "great to put your stuff on". In the tin below are silk threads, safety pins, betweens and 5 thimbles. One says "Tuttle's Family Elixir Kills Pain". I get so excited when I find things like this. I guess I'm easy to please and a cheap date. It was our 28th wedding anniversary. We did go out to dinner, too!